RIYADH - President Donald Trump, leaders and representatives of 55 Arab and Muslim-dominated countries kicked off their Arab-Islamic-American summit in Riyadh on Sunday, focusing on unity in the fight against terrorism.

King Salman of Saudi Arabia was the first to address the summit, telling the gathering that Islam provided the best example for coexistence and "will always be the religion of mercy and coexistence".

King Salman highlighted that some people seek to present distorted picture of Islam.

"We all, peoples and countries, reject in every language and in every form damaging the relations of Muslim countries with friendly countries and profiling countries based on a religious or sectarian basis."

In his address, Trump said that the US was seeking a "coalition of nations" in the Middle East with the aim of "stamping out extremism".

Trump told the gathering that the overwhelming majority of victims of terrorist attacks were the "innocent people of the Arab, Muslim and Middle Eastern nations", pointing out that "95 percent of the victims of terrorist attacks are themselves Muslims".

He said that the fight against extremists is a battle between good and evil.

"This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it. This is a battle between good and evil," Trump said

"This not a battle between different faiths, different sects, or different civilizations. This is a battle between those who seek to obliterate human life and those who seek to protect it."

He added that the US was prepared to stand with those leaders in the fight against extremists, but that those countries should take the lead, urging them to drive extremists "out of your places of worship. Drive them out of your community. Drive them out of your holy land". (Source: aljazeera)